ECH 2300 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Cultural Relativism, Cultural Imperialism

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21 Jun 2018

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Module 4 – Universality

-All human beings are free and equal?

-We’re shaped by memberships (groups, religions)

-Cultural specificity according to cultural context? (cultural relativism)

-Weak relativism – basic rights should be protected

-Strong relativism – cultural imperialism on non-western societies

1. The legal argument

 States sign and ratify treaties (from different groups)

If culture were of primary importance, why would states ratify

treaties that require changes in domestic law that will contravene

these traditional practices or beliefs?

Necessary in international community

But doesn’t show a deeper, societal commitment

2. Commonality argument

Basic values found in international human rights law are common to

all cultural and religious traditions

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